The Penguins and Washington Capitals, the way Evgeni Malkin sees it, are even.

They're even in the Metropolitan Division finals, of course, with each team having won two games.

More importantly, they're even in the eyes of the hockey gods, who have taken turns granting each team a critical controversial goal in the series.

Malkin scored a disputed power-play goal late in the second period, leading the Penguins to a 3-1 victory in Game 4 on Thursday night.

Game 5 is set for Saturday night in Washington.

"We play like Game 7 tonight," Malkin said. "Unbelievable, everyone."

The controversial goal came with the score tied 1-1 late in the second period. A Phil Kessel shot bounced off defenseman Brooks Orpik at the top of the crease and banked to Patric Hornqvist, who nudged it out to Malkin in the right circle.

Malkin's shot hit the far post and sat along the goal line, but he dove forward to get a stick on the rebound. Scrambling goalie Braden Holtby stopped the puck with a desperation swipe of the back of his blocker.

"It's not me. It's all Horny," Malkin said, deflecting credit for the creation of the scoring chance.

That's when things got interesting.

Referees on the ice ruled no goal, and Malkin, frankly, was inclined to agree with them.

"When I'm staying on the ice, I think it's no goal," he said. "I'm not seeing the puck cross the line. I'm like so mad because it's a good chance to score."

The NHL's situation room in Toronto initiated a replay review, however. During the delay, Sidney Crosby told Malkin the replay showed a good goal. Malkin still was skeptical.

"(Crosby) tells me it should be a goal because it crossed the red line," Malkin said. "I'm not watching. I just wait."

Finally, the ruling came down. The puck barely had crossed the goal line before Holtby swiped it away.

Before Malkin could celebrate in earnest, though, Washington coach Barry Trotz challenged on the grounds of goalie interference. While the puck was loose in the crease, Hornqvist jabbed away at Holtby with his stick before being tackled by Orpik.

"Hornqvist was whacking my pad, not even close to the puck," Holtby said. "I'm not really sure why that's allowed, and then drives himself right in my hips so I can't push up and defend the far side of the net. And to say Brooks cross-checked him, there was a lot before he even touched him."

Holtby makes a strong case, but Toronto wasn't buying. Washington's challenge was denied, and the goal stood.

The way Malkin saw it, it was payback for Game 2, when video reviews nullified a Hornqvist goal in controversial fashion and allowed a Jakub Vrana goal to stand after the Penguins argued Brett Connolly interfered with Matt Murray.

"I think it's even," Malkin said. "Horny a little bit slashed the goalie. Connolly slashed the goalie. We're even, I think."

Malkin's goal aside, the Penguins pulled even in the series largely because their first line outplayed Washington's by a slight margin.

The teams traded power-play goals, with a T.J. Oshie shot from the slot in the second period matching Malkin's tally.

The difference, then, came when Jake Guentzel jammed in the ricocheting rebound of a Dominik Simon shot about nine minutes into the second to give the Penguins the first goal of the game. Alex Ovechkin's line had no answer.

When Guentzel tacked on an empty-netter in the final minute, the Penguins were assured their season wouldn't be on the brink for at least two more days.

"I think we all knew we had to get this one, especially on home ice," Guentzel said. "I think right from the drop of the puck, we played a full 60 minutes and showed what we can do. Definitely a big win for us."

Jonathan Bombulie is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at jbombulie@tribweb.com or via Twitter @BombulieTrib.

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